Improvement in attachments for invalid-bedsteads



ATTACHMENT FOR INVALID BEDSTEADS.

P a t e n t e d M a r c h 2 0 1 8 7 7.

UNITED STATES PATENT DFFIGE.

JOHN P. BEAMAN, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA,

IMPROVEMENTIN ATTACHMENTS FOR lNVALlD-BEDSTEADS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 188,568, dated March20, 1877 application filed August 24, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN PETERSON BEA- MAN, of the city and county ofSan Francisco, and State of California, have invented an ImprovedIrrigating Attachment for Fracture- Beds; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing bad to the accompanying drawlng.

My invention relates to an extension or part of a bedstead, the objectof which is to provide a support and means for irrigating or supplying aconstant bath of waterto fractured and dislocated limbs, for the purposeof preventing inflammation of the wounded parts.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective viewof my apparatus. Fig. 2 is a view of the swinging box- K.

Let A represent a metallic table or bottom, which is mounted upon legs BB, so that it will stand at the ordinary height of a bedstead. Usually,however, I will place it directly upon the lower part of an ordinarybed. The platform or table can either form a permanent part of abedstead, or it may be a separate device which can be placed against anordinary bedstead, so that the limb of the patient can be supported uponit. C is a board, which is supported by legs or side pieces 01 d acrossthe end of the table or platform on which the hips of the patient rest,so as to pass across directly over his hips. A hole is made through eachend of the board 0, directly over each hip of the patient, in which ashallow metal box, IE, is made to fit a flange, f, which surrounds eachbox-rest 9, upon the edge of the opening, and prevents it from droppingthrough. The bottom of each of these boxes is provided withperforations, covering more or less surface, as required, so that whenthe box is filled with water it will trickle through the perforations,and supply a constant bath to the fractured or diseased hip. Anotherbox, G, which is similar in construction and arrangement to those abovedescribed, is placed in the middle of the board, for irrigating theprivate parts of the patient when required. An open-ended three-sidedbox, H, is turned upside down upon the table or board A, over the upperportion of the leg of the patient, and another, I, is placed over thelower part of the leg and foot.

When both legs of a patient are fractured, a set of three boxes will beplaced over each leg, as represented in the drawing. Upon each of theseboxes H I I place an irrigatingbox,J, which is similar to the boxes E,above described, so that each box will contain a quantity of water,whichwill constantly drip through the perforations in the bottoms of theboxes upon the wounded or fractured limb. Inside the foot-boxes I Isuspend a trough or threesided box, K, by means of hangers or links I,which hook over the upper edges of the sides of the box I. The sides ofthese boxes K are hinged to the bottom board, so that they can be turneddown, for the purpose hereinafter described. At the extremity of thissuspended or swinging box I hinge a foot-board, m, which can be turnedup between the two sides and fastened, so as to close the end of thetrough or box. The bottom board of the box K is grooved longitudinally,to fit the limb of the patient, and the foot-board m is also grooved, tofit the foot of the patient. A cappiece is then arranged to slide downinside of the foot-board and cover the upper part of the foot of thepatient, so as to keep it in place. The fractured or wounded leg willthen swing easily in the box K, while the overhead perforated orsprinkling box will irrigate andkeep it cool. The table A is slightlyinclined toward the foot, so that the water which drains from the legwill be caught and conveyed to a waste-opening at the foot, throughwhich it passes, and is led through pipes O O to a vessel, P, under thebed or table.

To dress the leg, the links l, which suspend the box K, are releasedfrom the upper edges of the box I, and the box I is removed from thetable. The box K is then lowered upon the table, and its sides arelowered so as to leave the leg exposed. This is a very convenient andcomfortable arrangement, as it permits of the limb being dressed withoutdisturbing the patient or the position of the fractured parts.

Under the middle of the board 0 I make a hole, Q, in the table or bottomA, and a spout or tube (not shown) connects this hole with a vessel, S,underneath the table. This hole is directly under the middle of the bodyof the patient, and serves for allowing the patient to evacuate hisbowels. When the patient desires to make water a shield or guard, T, isplaced in the hole, so as to protect the bedclothes. I thus provide allnecessary conveniences for accommodating this class of patients.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patout, is-

1. The bed-extension ortable A, inclined, as described, and having oneor more covering-boxes, G H I, with their irrigating-boxes E J,substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The table or bed-extension A, having the board 0, theirrigating-tanks E J, the boxes H I, arranged as described, thewasteways O 0 and vessel P at one end, and the hole Q, fitted with aspout or tube, and vessel S at the opposite end, substantially as andfor the purpose described. I

3. In combination with the foot-boxes I, the suspended trough K, havingits sides hinged so as to be folded outward, and having the groovedfoot-board m and sliding cap-piece n, allarranged to operatesubstantially as; described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN PETERSON BEAMAN.

Witnesses:

GEO. H. Smnone, OLWYN T. STAOY.

